


Perihelion

by Okikage



Category: The Transformers (Cartoon Generation One), The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Bullying, College Fic (Sort Of), First Date, Institutional Oppression, M/M, Pre-War, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Tsundere, Yes I wrote a First Date fic that starts with Functionist Sexualized Bullying no I don't know why, functionism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okikage/pseuds/Okikage
Summary: "Not that Starscream would go around admitting it, but Skyfire being in Chemistry made it much more bearable. He could handle dirty looks, mechs bothering him with nasty whispers, and professors who thought he was an idiot with absolutely no backing, but it did help to have someone next to him who didn’t think or say every nasty thing he heard elsewhere. Skyfire felt....safe.And it terrified Starscream."Going to the Iacon Science Academy as a Seeker is not easy, but at least Starscream isn't alone.Then Skyfire asks him on a date. It thankfully goes much better than he expected.
Relationships: Skyfire/Starscream
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	Perihelion

Starscream landed just outside campus, adjusting his subspace full of datapads and equipment before making his way into the Science Academy proper.

The sky was wide open as he walked across the quad, and several mechs turned to stare, whispering without a care if he noticed. He just glared as he continued on, letting them move around him as they gave him a wide berth.

Someone that looked to be some sort of accelerator from his kibble returned his glare and sneered at him, and Starscream quickened his pace, making it to the stairs outside the chemistry building and nearly running into -

“Good morning!” A cheerful voice called from about 6 feet above him. Skyfire.

Starscream tried to maintain his glare but it slowly morphed into something closer to embarrassment, “What do you want, Skyfire?”

“Did you have a good time in physics yesterday?” Skyfire merely smiled down at him as they fell into pattern, walking next to each other through the halls to the lecture room.

Starscream scowled, physics was the worst. He was exceptional at it without even trying, he did it  _ every day _ while flying, and everyone, including the teacher, second guessed and denied his work. Yesterday had been particularly bad - the teacher accused him of cheating on a test when he was the first one done. He was forced to take it all over again in quarantine to prove himself.

“Whatever, it was fine,” he told Skyfire. They turned together and Skyfire held the door for him. Starscream entered the classroom, where he figuratively flew to the back and took their usual desks.

“Pre-mechanics was a drag,” Skyfire caught up and sat beside him, almost close enough to touch. Starscream tried not to think about that. “I just can’t get a handle on it. Plus I know I’m not going to become a medic.”

“You’re the one who wants to become an interstellar explorer,” Starscream got out his notes datapad and booted up chemistry, tapping his stylus on the desk rhythmically.

“I understand the need for basic first aid, but it should really just be a practical requirement! I don’t need to know  _ why _ I should clamp off severed energon lines or  _ how _ transformation can fail if I know what to do when it does!” Skyfire was getting a bit heated, Starscream couldn’t help but smile and stare up at him. He rarely got ruffled and it was cute.

Not cute, Starscream amended himself. Skyfire was definitely not cute. In fact, he was ugly and he hated his face. That was better.

Not that Starscream would go around admitting it, but Skyfire being in Chemistry made it much more bearable. He could handle dirty looks, mechs bothering him with nasty whispers, and professors who thought he was an idiot with absolutely no backing, but it did help to have someone next to him who didn’t think or say every nasty thing he heard elsewhere. Skyfire felt....safe.

And it terrified Starscream.

Starscream collected his things much quicker than Skyfire, and let out a hasty goodbye before he practically ran out of the classroom, only to run smack into the back of a microscope and lose his balance.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the pretty little seeker, running around trying to mingle with his betters,” the microscope turned around, and his posse all followed suit, laughing at Starscream where he fell on the ground. Starscream scrambled up and tried to find an exit, but the group was blocking the entire narrow hallway out.

“What’s the matter, seeker? Looking for something? Can’t even do your function? So broken you can’t even  _ find _ things anymore,” the microscope continued, getting closer and closer to Starscream and forcing him to back up until his wings hit a window.

“Leave me alone,” Starscream wanted to yell, to fight and scream and  _ show _ them what a seeker could be, but he couldn’t, they’d kick him out of school with another incident, damn whose fault it was.

“Leave you alone? Oh no, I don’t think that’s what you want at all. I think you just need a good jacking in to remind you of your place.  _ Beneath me _ ,” he was practically touching Starscream now, who had shunted himself so close to the wall he could feel the metal digging into the back of his wings. It hurt, but just a little, like a pinch or a scratch he couldn’t quite reach. The front was much more pressing, where the microscope’s hand was reaching towards his pectoral fans. Starscream clenched his fist, ready to fight back and damn the consequences.

Just as Starscream was bracing for whatever the microscope was going to escalate to physically, a sudden force pushed him away and back towards the crowd. Starscream was no longer being boxed in, and the microscope was lying on the floor practically where he had been a few seconds ago, though much more sprawled.

Skyfire stood over him, looking apologetic.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, you know how  _ clumsy _ we shuttles are, can’t even walk around without knocking others out, I do hope you’ll forgive me,” Skyfire’s eyes were lit up with mirth even as he looked upset with the rest of his face.

“You did that on purpose!” One of the crowd, some kind of analysis device, grabbed his friend’s arm and pulled him up and away from Skyfire.

“Whatever do you mean? I would  _ never _ . I just can’t  _ help _ it, you see,” Skyfire was subtly shifting to block Starscream from the crowd and keep their focus on him and away from the seeker.

“You’ll never find a respectable research partner for your  _ big _ dreams when you graduate if you keep hanging out with that riff-raff, Skyfire,” a rover joined the throng. “I know none of  _ my _ stellar equipment friends would join you.”

Skyfire merely smiled at him. “Why would I need a telescope if we just travel  _ to _ the places we’re studying?”

The crowd was beginning to break up, now that a much bigger target had joined, and the original microscope skulked away with a nasty dent in his side. He wouldn’t be using that cracked lens on his shoulder any time soon either.

As the rest of the students left, Starscream peeled himself off the wall. Skyfire was still here. Starscream snarled and pushed at his hip, merely serving to knock him back about an inch.

“Star?” He looked upset, frowning down at Starscream.

“I don’t need you to come and - and - save me! I can take care of myself!”

Skyfire sighed, his arms coming up and seeming to go toward Starscream before moving behind his back. “Honestly, that was just a bonus.”

“Well, I don’t need you! I’m just - fine on my-“

“Starscream,” Skyfire actually cut him off. “He doesn’t get physical, because, well, look at me. But I can’t very well retaliate right after he needles me about how shuttles  _ are _ . I can’t pretend it’s an accident then.”

Starscream stared up at Skyfire. He didn't even think about what Skyfire must also face. Shuttles were at least classified as nominal scientific equipment, but they still had wings, still were mostly transport and not  _ for _ science. Starscream stared at the floor, unable to look Skyfire in the optics.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are  _ you _ sorry for, Star?”

“I didn't - think about that.”

Skyfire hummed softly. “Well, it’s not like I didn’t also do it to help you, so...”

Starscream crossed his arms huffily. “I  _ told _ you -“

“I know you don’t need help. But I wanted to help you,” Skyfire lowered himself so he and Starscream were eye-to-eye. “If you’ll let me.”

Starscream’s entire vocal unit seemed to have suddenly gone on the fritz. He could feel his face heat up. Skyfire smiled at him and straightened up.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Starscream could only nod vigorously as Skyfire walked away, looking back at him planted outside the class several times along the hallway.

The next day found Starscream landing again, just outside campus, making the trek on foot to a different building. Today was astronomy, by far his favorite. The professor at least took him seriously, even if his praise came in the form of “I KNEW a seeker would be good at finding the minutiae in this data!”

Skyfire was waiting for him just inside the building today. “Good morning!”

“Hello, Skyfire,” Starscream sidled up next to him, maybe a little closer than was strictly necessary, and their wings brushed, Starscream’s top edge to Skyfire’s bottom due to the height difference.

“You seem happy today,” Skyfire chatted as they made their way upstairs.

“Wha-no-you’re crazy!” Starscream screeched and puffed up like a particularly offended bird. He had to manually strangle his fans from activating.

“If you say so,” Skyfire once again held the door for Starscream, and again Starscream rushed to get  _ their _ seats.

“Today we’ll continue our discussion of cybertron-like exoplanets, remember that I expect each of you to come up with a research thesis describing functions and explanations for why these kinds of planets are important to study by next week!” The professor started even before Skyfire made it to his desk, who hurriedly shuffled up and grinded into his chair next to Starscream.

_ Slowpoke _ Starscream wrote in his notepad, leaving it wide open and readable for Skyfire.

_ He always does this! He can SEE me walking in _ Skyfire wrote in his own notepad.

_ Maybe that’s why. Trying to teach you not to be a slowpoke _ Starscream wrote another line.

They continued their written chat through the entire class. After all, Skyfire was made for this, and Starscream only had to study half as much as in his other classes. Not that he’d admit studying to anyone. Better that they all thought he was just preternaturally good at science, and that’s why he should be allowed in here. Everyone else was just “naturally” good at science, being science equipment, so he had to be too.

Skyfire actually did speed up leaving Astronomy, keeping up with Starscream for once. Their wings may have accidentally brushed again, but Starscream was absolutely not fixating on that as they escaped into the open air.

“Hey, Star....” Skyfire fidgeted with his hands next to Starscream, stopping them and ducking into an alcove next to the building.

Starscream cocked his head to the side, “What’s up?”

“I was wondering...this off day...if you’d like to go somewhere? Together?” Skyfire’s voice sounded so much higher than usual, hopeful.

“Do you mean...like, a date?” Starscream’s voice broke on the last word, turning into electronic garble.

Skyfire’s fidgeting seemed to be getting worse. “Well, yes, like. That. A date.”

Starscream was on fire, but he would not let his fans activate. Instead, he put on his usual aloof mask. “Well I’ll certainly think about it. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“But we have different classes tomorrow!” Skyfire looked crestfallen.

“I’ll find you after, of course. You have Biology, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well I’ll see you outside the biology building and we can talk more then!” Starscream threw his head back and tried his best to look nonchalant as he waved off and away from Skyfire.

If his flight home was more erratic and prone to bursts of speed from emotion than usual, no one had to know. If he immediately shoved his face into a throw pillow and screamed no one had to know that either.

Starscream affected himself outside the biology building, looking the picture of nonchalance. His spark was spinning like a firework. He had picked the spot to get a perfect view of the front doors, where Skyfire appeared, looking around nervously until his optics fell on Starscream and he broke into a goofy smile.

“You came,” Skyfire sighed with relief, pausing in front of Starscream.

“I told you I would!”

Skyfire tapped his fingers together, creating a soft melodic clang. “Have you thought about...?”

“Yes, I’ll go on a stupid date with you.” Starscream huffed and crossed his arms. “But we’re going where I say and doing what I want to do.”

Skyfire’s smile was too much. It never went away even as Starscream spelled out exactly what the two of them were going to do in two days, during their mandated off day from classes.

The date started perfectly. Skyfire was precisely on time picking Starscream up from his modest living quarters, knocking on the flight entrance with his usual grace and care. Starscream emerged, freshly polished and shining in the cybertronian sun, and allowed Skyfire to take his hand as they flew together to the crystal gardens.

They paled in comparison to Crystal City’s, of course, but were a nice substitute. The colors were in full brightness, feeding off the extra sun from their current perihelion position. It accentuated Starscream’s own bright coloring, and he posed and preened, knowing exactly how good he looked.

Skyfire wasn’t looking, though. He wanted him to  _ look _ . Skyfire was basically the only person he wanted to look, and he wasn’t.

This continued into their midday energon stop, at a very fancy place that crystallized the fuel into intricate filigree patterns.

“How do you ingest this?” Skyfire poked at the sculpture in front of him.

“Easily,” Starscream said while he broke a bit off, popping it into his mouth. “Honestly, Skyfire, it’s like you’ve never gone out to refuel.”

“I haven’t, really. I don’t usually see the point.”

“Because it’s fun?”

Skyfire covered Starscream’s hand on the tabletop. “I suppose it is fun with you.”

Starscream snarled. “Don’t say such stupid things!”

“I am having a lot of fun, Star. The gardens were lovely. I presume you’re seen the original, though?”

“Yeah, I visited Crystal City once. Always wanted to go back, but it’s...not feasible.”

“Don’t you go to visit Vos?”

“No.” Starscream locked optics with Skyfire, malnourished red and healthy blue. “I never want to go back to Vos. I want to get as far away as possible from there.”

“I know that feeling.” Skyfire looked up into the sky.

They finished their meal and continued to phase two of the Perfect Date.

The exoplanet exhibit at the Science Museum. Absolutely not carefully picked as an interest both of them shared. Starscream would never admit to that.

As they wandered through the displays, though, he couldn’t help but get excited at all the  _ possibilities _ that were out there, just waiting to be found. He let himself slip his fingers between Skyfire’s, holding his hand as they both pointed out and gushed about the items on display.

The Prime Nebula had a particularly impressive display, an entire room with an interactive hologram of the nebula, shifting and moving as they walked through it. The bright red streaks that gave it it’s name made Skyfire’s own red accents pop, and Starscream did let himself look.

They ended the day by taking a leisurely flight above the city. Starscream couldn’t stretch his wings like he wanted, the flight regulation in Iacon stifling, but it was pleasant nonetheless as they remained within the designated airspace, so much emptier than where he was built.

“It’s so empty up here,” Skyfire voiced the thought, startling Starscream. “You could barely get twelve feet up without running into another shuttle in Altihex.”

“Vos was a  _ nightmare _ ,” Starscream added. “People would fly at ground level sometimes too. Well, before, y’know.”

They landed on top of a skyscraper, sitting on the edge. Skyfire’s wing was definitely brushing against Starscream’s, and he pushed back into it. The sun set over the ridge that separated Iacon’s greater metro area from Vos and the greater Kaon area.

“There’s gotta be something better, than choosing between people running into you while you’re trying to lift off and no one flying at all.” Starscream stared at where Vos was hidden.

“Maybe if we joined the Senate.”

“Don’t even joke about that! Those monsters - I’d never step foot in there in a million cycles.”

“We could just leave.”

Starscream’s helm whipped up toward Skyfire. “Run away together? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“We could go on an exploration mission together. We could find new things, see what’s out there for ourselves.”

It sounded so...lonely. As much as he couldn’t stand people, Starscream was painfully aware that he needed them around. He was so terribly needy for attention and it made him want to scream.

“I don’t know, Skyfire. I think I’ll have to spend more than one day together before something like  _ that _ . Being all alone together for months? What if we kill each other?”

“You haven’t killed me yet, I’d say that’s a good sign.” Skyfire smiled. “And we can go on more dates, see how that feels.”

Starscream cracked a small genuine smile himself. “I’d enjoy that.”

As Skyfire escorted Starscream back to his dwelling, his spark started racing again. He wanted Skyfire to ask to come in. They landed and Starscream let his fans come on, just a little bit. Skyfire stepped close and crouched down.

“May I kiss you?”

“Yes.”

Skyfire pressed his lips to Starscream, just barely. He didn’t open his mouth, so Starscream didn’t either. He wanted to. They broke apart from the completely safe kiss.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Star.”

Starscream let him go. He was strangely happy Skyfire hadn’t asked to come in. He didn’t want to do anything, but he wanted him to stay. He wanted to want to interface. Maybe he could, with Skyfire, in a little while.

He collapsed and began to recharge almost immediately, imagining Skyfire holding him, encapsulating him completely in his large frame.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: this was originally inspired by this song https://youtu.be/rE-yOTrPgpg  
> It kind of mutated a lot from there


End file.
